711.94/1628
Oral Statement by the Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs (Arita) to the American Ambassador in Japan (Grew)
[Translation]
[Tokyo,] June 28, 1940.
- 1.
- The views of the Japanese Government concerning the basic policy of the American Government as stated by Your Excellency at the time of our interview on June 19 are as set forth on a separate document.78 I wish to refer you, as well, to my oral statements of May 18, 1939,79 and June 12, 1940.80 While in comparing the two positions, there appear to be differences of opinion between our Governments, [Page 92] when consideration is given to the unavoidable conditions accompanying military activities on a large scale, I do not believe that the viewpoints indicated by our two countries are irreconcilable.
- 2.
- I have given the most careful study to the proposal which Your Excellency set forth at our meeting on June 24. In view of present international conditions, however, I doubt whether consideration should be given to an exchange of formal notes between our two countries on the basis of a policy of giving effect directly to this proposal. In Europe at the present time hostilities are progressing. Japan is greatly concerned with the effect which the development of the hostilities will have on the status of the possessions and territories in the Pacific area of European belligerent nations. Under this situation, during a transitionary period, for the United States and Japan, which countries are not belligerents, to conclude any sort of an agreement concerning these possessions and territories would, it must be feared, give rise to very delicate relationships for Japan which has taken a position of non-involvement. I am, therefore, endeavoring at this time to offset and to prevent the spread of the European disturbance to the Pacific Ocean and with that purpose in mind and from that point of view, I believe it to be timely and appropriate to consider whether or not there is no room for discussions of problems concerning only the United States and Japan.
- 3.
- As I stated on the 24th, however, we cannot consider the American proposal dissociated from conversations which have been held hitherto, and in order to make further progress in our conversations concerning your proposal I believe it to be necessary in the first place to be informed of your Government’s views with regard to the statements set forth in my oral statement dated June 12th.